Casket.



Patented Nov. I4, I899.

R. C. DAVIS.

CA S K E T.

(Application filed July 20, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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"lllllllllllllIIllllliiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllIll UNITEl) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. DAVIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. B; KNORR, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

CASKET.

mommies forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,766, dated November 14., 1899.

Application filed July 20, 1899. Serial No. 724,540. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Casket, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hermeticallysealed or air-tight caskets or coifins; and the object in view is to provide a casket or coffin which is sealed at all points after disposal of the corpse therein and rendered impermeable to air and moisture, and at the same time afford means for exposing the interior of the casket to view by a suitable sight-opening, the several parts of the casket being of such construction that they can be readily joined after the corpse has been placed therein and the joints hidden from exterior view.

The invention consists of the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a casket or coflin embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the arrangement of the joint between opposite parts of the casket before securement. Fig. 4. is a similar view of the joint after the parts are secured.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numerals 1 and 2 designate, respectively, upper and lower sections of a casket or coflin and are formed of suitable sheet metal, which are struck up by means of suitable pressers, and, as shown, each section is a duplicate of the other. At the time of forming the sections their edges are struck out to form right-angular flanges 3, which are regularly apertured, as at 4, the said apertures being closely arranged and adapted to coincide with the opposite sections when the flanges are drawn closely together, as will be presently described. On the upper section a top covering 5, preferably of wood, is fastened and in the present instance has an edge molding 6, which produces a pleasing ornamental appearance. To receive the part of the section 1 which it engages, the inner side of the said covering is formed with a recess or cavity 7, conforming accurately to the contour of the top portion of the said section. On the lower or bottom portion of the section 2 a bottom covering 8 is fixed similarly to the top covering 5 and has a recess or cavity 9 in its upper side to receive the said lower portion of the section 2. The edge of the bottom covering 8 is also formed as a molding 10 and adds to the ornamentation of the entire casket. The side portions of the sections 1 and 2 are flared to the inner terminations of the outstanding flanges 3, and on the exterior surfaces of the said sections suitable fabric covering may be applied, or in some instances it may be desirable to emboss the said sides; but it is preferred to avoid the use of penetrating fastenin gs of any character in order to prevent puncturing the metallic sections. The interior of the sections are also intended to be suitably upholstered or cushioned, particularly the lower section 2, upon which the corpse rests. In some instances also it may be desirable to change the contour of the upper section 1 to conventionally conform to the outline of the corpse within or otherwise varied.

Across the under side of the bottom covering 8 metallic straps 11 are secured and have the opposite ends projected, as at 12, beyond the adjacent terminations of the molding 10. These straps 11 are arranged at regular intervals and the number used will depend upon the dimensions of the casket. The said straps are strong enough to resist considerable weight and strain, and in their projected ends eyes 13 are formed, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, to removably receive the lower hooked ends 14 of suspending or carrying rods 15, having handles or grips 16 on their upper ends. The said suspending or carrying rods 15 are adapted for use by the body-bearers and may be of any ornamental form, and their hooked ends are readily received in the eyes 13, from the lower terminations of the latter. It is intended that these suspending or carrying rods 15 be supplied by the funeral director or undertaker, and by their use the casket can be more conveniently transported from one place to another.

After the corpse has been deposited in the lower section 2 of the casket the section 1 is securely fastened to the said lower section. Before this operation fully takes place, how'- ever, it is necessary to provide means for hermetically sealing the joint that is made between the flanges 3, and for this purpose it has been found that soft sheet metal is best adapted and such metal will be used as will closely compress and avoid a bulky interposition as much as possible. Sheet-lead has been found to serve the desired purpose better than any other material, and in preparing the same for application to the joint a strip of suitable width is first doubled upon itself to form a loop 17 of about the length or slightly less than the flanges 3. The said loop 17 is then continued into upper and lower rebent portions 18 and 19, and when the strip is thus formed it is applied over the flanges 3 in the position shown by Fig. 3 and so that the loop 17 will stand between the inner faces of the said flanges and the rebent portions 18 and 19 extend over the upper and lower faces, respectively, of the upper and lower flanges. The flanges and the strip of sheetlead bent into the form described are then compressed, as shown by Figs. 2 and 4, to thereby establish a hermetic sealing wherein crevices or apertures of any character are absent owing to the yielding qualities of the metallic strip, and, furthermore, in view of the fact that the said strip is continuous and without broken joints. Headed bolts 20 are then inserted through the openings 4 in the flanges 3 and similar openings in the bent portions of the interposed strip of sheet metal, which may be formed either before the application thereof to the joint or after compression. The bolts are secured by a nut 21 against accidental disengagement, and the entire joint is then covered by moldings 22, having recesses 23 in their inner edges corresponding in dimension to the full extent in all directions of the said joint. These moldings are preferably slipped over the joint endwise of the casket, and the ends are constructed in such manner as to aline with or produce the appearance of a continuation with the ends of similar moldings to be applied across the head and foot portion of the casket. After the moldings are in position they will be secured in any suitable manner and portions of the same may serve to lock others adjacently situated.

The sheet-lead sealing-strip will be primarily proportioned relatively to the flanges 3 to avoid material exterior and interior projection of the compressed parts, and the moldings 22 might also be ornamented in such manner as to precisely correspond to the surface ornamentation of the sections 1 and 2, and thus set up a regularity in the general exterior appearance of the casket as an entirety. The completion of the joint will at times be carried on at the place where the corpse is arranged in the casket, and hence it is necessary to utilize such means as will be quick of application and whereby the attainment of a hermetic sealing may be made possible without extensive preparation.

The metal of which the sections 1 and 2 are formed will be preferably of a non-corrosive nature and can have applied thereto preservative compounds or paints, if desired, and also metals that are not free from attack by the elements could be used and treated with Waterproof or other compounds for a similar purpose and which will be regulated with the grade and character of the casket. After the joint is completed What air remains Within the confines of the sections 1 and 2 may be exhausted by any suitable means, and thus obstruct decomposition of the corpse.

It may be necessary at times to change the form, size, and proportions, as well as the minor details of construction, aside from the obvious variations hereinbefore noted. Consequently it will be understood that such changes will be made as are within the scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of the advantages of the latter.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. A casket or coffin comprising opposite sections having outstanding rigid terminal flanges, a sheet-metal hermetic soft-metal sealing-strip looped and doubled upon itself and inserted between and around the said flanges, and removable fastening-bolts i11- serted through the said flanges and sealingstrip, the said strip being closely compressed between the flanges and by its softness filling up the crevices.

2. A casket or coffin comprising opposite sections composed of metal and having outstanding rigid terminal flanges, a hermetically-sealed joint being formed between the said flanges, and filled with a soft-metal strip bent around and doubled between the flanges, and moldings having recesses therein, which are adapted to be applied over the joint formed between the sections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afflxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT C. DAVIS.

\Vitnesses:

W. V. BAKER, H. H. FALKENBAOH.

IIO 

